Challenge, Wellbeing, Teamwork

References

Please give the names and addresses of two individuals, not related to you, from whom we may obtain references. Both must be professional references. If you are employed then one of these must be your current employer. If you are employed in a school or education setting, one of these must be your current headteacher. However, if you are a student or have been out of work for a period of time then teachers or a previous employer will be sufficient.

Please remember that the referees you give should be able to comment on your ability to perform the job for which you are applying. If you do not provide us with two full references, the progression of your application form might be affected. Newly Qualified Teachers should provide referees for their initial teacher training provider and a teaching practice placement.

Referees will be written to and references requested prior to interviews taking place. If you do not wish for your current employer reference to be taken up prior to interview please indicate this on the application form. Your second reference will be contacted in all cases following being successfully shortlisted. No offer of employment will be made until both references have been received and are satisfactory. We do not accept open references.

In line with our commitment to the Equality Act 2010, questions about health/ sickness absence have been removed from reference requests for prospective employees.

Observations and tests

A range of ability tests are used to help us to determine whether candidates possess the right skills or aptitude for the vacancy under consideration. This is followed by a formal interview.

For all teaching and curriculum based support staff roles, we undertake observations or tasks.

Depending on the order of the activities on selection day, if you are unsuccessful at the testing and observation stage you may not be invited to the interview stage.

If you are successful at the testing and observation stage, test and observation results will be taken into account alongside the result of the interview. A selection decision will then be made on the basis of all the information about you that we have available.

There is little actual preparation that can be done for the tests other than to ensure that you are relaxed and as rested as possible. For lesson observations you will be given full details in your interview invitation letter and we would expect you to be fully prepared including having a lesson plan.